My boyfriend works at Microsoft. He started off as a contract worker there. He put his resume on various job sites and technical recruiters contacted him. Getting a hold of a good recruiter seems to be key. He said on their career website they are slow updating job postings. A lot of them are old. I tried to get a Paralegal position but they require more experience than I have. I could have gone through a recruiter but it was for a Group Assistant at MS but the pay was only $10 so I declined. Even though he works there it doesn't do me too much good. He doesn't know anyone in the Legal Dept. Only thing he did was refer me. He also looked through the jobs at the internal website.

I contracted for them through a vendor and then joined full time. I seriously recommend going that route. That way you can get a taste of how it is and decide if you want to join full time. It will also give you the opportunity to really gain some good experience as well as kick ass in the position. MS is very open to hiring very good contingent staff. It's like a long-term interview process for them and they'll know the quality of work you'll put in for a prolonged period (their investment in you is almost guaranteed as opposed to someone who just aced an interview loop).

I agree with an earlier post that Microsoft is going to be one of the safer job bets over the next few years. A former colleague started with them a few months ago, and said that the pressures are on par with what you'd expect with this economy.

One possible way to get a job at Microsoft, that to interest them by examples of yours work. For example, if you are a programmer, you must make interesting application and put it on Microsoft's site in samples page. For example for applications (on silverlight see: www.silverlight.net/community/samples/silverlight-samples/, for winform and WPF application see: windowsclient.net/community/) .All MS technologies have the relevant section of the "Community Samples ". Create a profile on the Forum of appropriate technology, answer to the questions of other forum members. You would be charged assessment.
It will be very good for your resume.
About other aspects of resume you can see articles in www.FindJobs4You.com.